The present invention relates to containers, and, more particularly, to storing and mixing premeasured quantities of a substance.
Beverage, food and drug manufacturers produce many different products which need to be or can be mixed with another substance, such as water, before consumption. Such products may include, for example, flavor syrups, powdered baby formula, powdered nutritional drink mix, liquor, suspension antibiotics or any other substance that could be mixed with another substance or liquid such as water, milk, juice or carbonated beverages, for example.
These products may be sold in bulk or as single servings packaged in cans, bottles, packets or other containers. Also, various containers have been designed for storing one or more of these products to be dispensed into another container such as a water bottle, baby bottle or cup. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,380 to Rothman, entitled xe2x80x9cDevice for Dispensing Flowable Material,xe2x80x9d discloses a storage cap having a receiving groove with a large diameter for mating with a number of different size bottle openings.
Furthermore, the storage cap has a rupturable membrane which can be ruptured as a bottle neck is urged into the receiving groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,179 to Hanson, entitled xe2x80x9cDispensing lid for beverage container,xe2x80x9d discloses a dispensing lid for the circular upper rim of a drinking cup. Frangible vessels contain condiments and are disposed within the lid. Condiments are released from the vessels when finger pressure is applied thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,314 to Fuller et al., entitled xe2x80x9cUnit Dose Package,xe2x80x9d discloses a unit dose storage cap for storing and dispensing a dose of infant and adult nutritional formulas. The cap has a threaded mouth designed to be fitted onto the wide neck of a infant formula bottle. A foil seal is removed before the storage cap is secured to the bottle. In another embodiment, the dose cap has a water soluble seal which dissolves into the formula bottle.
One problem with some of the conventional devices is that none provide a reliable seal that can be broken after the device is securely connected to a bottle. Additionally, none of the conventional devices provides a reliable member in the opening of the container for breaking the seal. Without a reliable seal, a reliable member for breaking the seal, and a secure connection between the device and the bottle, the seal may not be properly broken and/or the contents stored in the device may spill and/or be contaminated.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system, method and device with a reliable seal that can be broken after the device is securely connected to a bottle.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a reliable breaking member in the opening of the container for breaking the seal when the device is inserted into the opening of the container.
This and other objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a system for separately storing and mixing first and second substances, including a container for storing the the second substance, and having an opening with external threads, and a device for storing the first substance. The device has an insertion portion for being inserted into the opening of the container, and the insertion portion has an opening and a breakable seal adjacent the opening for sealing the first substance in the device. Also, a breaking member is carried by the container and recessed inside the opening thereof for breaking the breakable seal of the device when engaged with the container to allow mixing of the first and second substances in the container.
The breaking member may include a protruding portion and at least one opening therein. Also, the breaking member may be integrally formed with the container as a monolithic unit. Alternatively, the breaking member may be removable from the container and comprises a cylindrical housing which fits inside the opening of the container. The cylindrical housing of the breaking member preferably includes a lip for securing the breaking member within the opening of the container. The device may also include a threaded portion for mating with the external threads of the container. Such a threaded portion of the device preferably substantially surrounds the insertion portion. The device may also have a second opening and a cap for closing the second opening.
Objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are also provided by a method of dispensing a first substance into a container for mixture with a second substance. The method includes storing the first substance in a chamber of a device having an insertion portion with an opening, and sealing the first substance in the chamber with a breakable seal adjacent the opening of the insertion portion. Furthermore, a breaking member is placed in an opening of the container, and the insertion portion of the device is inserted into the opening of the container having the breaking member placed therein to break the seal and allow mixing of the first and second substances in the container.